Melbourne, one of the world’s most liveable cities, was not going to allow their country guests to leave town with a bad impression of its weather…so it turned it on for the final round of Men’s Country Week!
And it was indeed a bright day for Ballarat. The overnight leader was seriously challenged by the strong performance of its opponent, Goulburn Valley. A lot was to be decided in that contest. For the Valley team, winning was the only chance to secure their place in the top division in 2014. The Peninsula would also have been cheering for the Valley – wins to both the Valley & Peninsula sides would have given them a chance to retain their title. But, despite their best efforts against a strong opponent, Goulburn Valley came up one match short. This makes Ballarat the Shield Champions for 2013.
In the Plate competition, Sunraysia had the bye for the final round. However, with the title secured after a convincing undefeated season, they had started their long way back home earlier in the day. Surely they had an enjoyable trip but maybe wished that they could have lifted their trophy and enjoyed their victory among their peers. In the battle for promotion, Corangamite literally stepped up to the Plate. Being equal on points with Geelong and only half a match ahead overnight they needed an equal or stronger performance than Geelong to gain the much wanted promotion to the main division. It was a close call with both teams having the exact same results against their opponents this morning. Therefore, that half match difference proved crucial in securing Corangamite’s elevation to the Shield.
East Gippsland and Northern were the happy teams in the Bowl division as they will be promoted to the Plate in 2014. Just like the Melbourne weather they finished on a high note with important wins today.
The opportunity for country players to share a week of golf and camaraderie would not be possible without the generosity of the host venues. For that reason, a special thank you is due to Settlers Run, Royal Melbourne, Victoria, Eynesbury, Sanctuary Lakes, Keysborough and Long Island. These clubs also made their best efforts to present the courses in pristine condition despite the inclement weather.
Congratulations to the winners and well done to all the teams for their participation in what will be surely an unforgettable week of golf and also climate challenges!
Click here to see final results and ladders